Astro Notes for New Moon in Pisces cycle (March 10-April 7)
There is an unusual pattern in the sky from mid-February to mid-May of this year wherein almost all of the planets are clumped together in one part of the chart at any given time (in astrology this is called a Bundle Chart Configuration, with all planets within 140 degrees).
This roving caravan started last month during Aquarius season, and will move slowly across Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, and Taurus over the next few months. What this means is that there is an extraordinary concentration of energy in one particular quadrant or hemisphere of our chart, supporting us to bring a special focus to that particular area of our lives.
At the same time, between January 20 and April 1, all of the planets are also moving direct, creating tremendous forward momentum in whatever area of our lives we are focusing on. While this can feel like an exciting ride, with much satisfying progress toward our goals, it may also create the impression that events are moving too quickly, and potentially careening out of control. It might feel at times that we need to be running very fast just to keep up with all the new developments coming in.
In January, we had a heavy dose of Capricorn energy that provided strong support for developing new structures and routines to enable us to better implement our goals and visions. It’s a good time to call upon these structures now to keep us on track even while we are racing ahead at breakneck speed.
This advice may soon become even more relevant as we head toward an especially intense eclipse season (from March 25 to April 8) and the much-anticipated Jupiter-Uranus conjunction on April 20, both of which entail potentially explosive energies of transformation.
It’s like we’re hurtling down a runway, and when we hit the breakthrough energies coming up in April (with the eclipses and Jupiter-Uranus conjunction), we will want to be poised enough to achieve lift-off, rather than crash and burn.
Major Transits
March 10: New Moon in Pisces
The new moon in Pisces initiates and sets the tone for this monthly cycle in a deceptively powerful way that might be overlooked. With the Pisces new moon, we are swimming in the deep and subtle waters of consciousness, close to the Mystery. This new moon is conjunct Neptune and sextile Uranus, a combination associated with altered states of consciousness. While subtle, the effect of the new moon can be to initiate a gentle revolution that dissolves boundaries of separation, both within us and in the world at large. A beautiful day for meditation.
March 12: Venus enters Pisces
When Venus was in Aquarius, how we related to others and what we desired was up for a change. Our hearts may have been excited by a new vision that serves the greater whole. When Venus moves into Pisces, we are drawn into deeper emotional waters, our hearts seeking to merge with their divine source. From these depths, we find it easier to feel the unity that underlies all, and can relate to others with greater compassion and acceptance.
March 17: Sun conjunct Neptune in Pisces
The Sun represents the ego, which is defined by time and space. In Pisces, these egoic boundaries become permeable to the infinite and the eternal. With Sun conjunct Neptune in Pisces, the ego dissolves entirely into the One. From the perspective of the separate self, this might seem like a set back. We may wonder why we feel so weak-willed. Unable to find our usual energy or drive, our very identity may seem in question.
The only way to approach this transit is through surrender. It’s time to put down our to-do list and simply be. There’s a profound transmission and healing on offer here, if we can allow ourselves to relax and do nothing.
March 19: Sun enters Aries
Welcome to the start of the astrological year! After the individual self has dissolved into the ocean of consciousness in Pisces, it is reborn when Sun moves into Aries. The life-force is strong, surging back with fresh energy and initiative. It’s time to take action, launch something new, feel the fear and do it anyway - another epic new cycle has just begun.
March 20: Mercury conjunct Chiron
We may experience our core wound being activated by something someone says. It may be helpful to understand this communication as a divine message, rather than making it about the person who delivers it. Although there could be pain involved, there is also healing in this exchange, including ways we are discovering how to help others who suffer from the same wound we do.
March 22: Venus conjunct Saturn in Pisces
There is a sober dose of realism associated with this transit that can bring some of the dreamy energies of Venus in Pisces reluctantly down to Earth. We may be forced to develop more realistic expectations about our relationships in ways that feel emotionally challenging. Although it’s not an expansive time for expressions of affection, this transit offers an opportunity to establish a deeper foundation for a long-term partnership based in truth.
March 22: Mars enters Pisces
When Mars is in Pisces, our personal will seeks to align with the Universal Will. The Taoist concept of wu Wei, or ‘effortless action’, is a perfect descriptor of this dynamic. If we try, when Mars is in Pisces, to assert ourselves from our usual perspective of the separate self, we will find that we lack the strength to get the results we expect. If, however, we allow ourselves to ‘go with the flow’, and align our actions with where the whole is moving, we reach our destination effortlessly. It’s a time to be adaptable, as we practice surfing the currents of life rather than pushing ahead with our agenda.
March 25: Full Moon South Node lunar eclipse in Libra
An intense eclipse season opens with a south node lunar eclipse in Libra, the sign of relationships. The eclipse is in a trine with Pluto in Aquarius, indicating that we will have the chance to understand and transform our relational dynamics in positive ways.
Libra is concerned with issues of balance and fairness in relationships, while Sun in Aries prioritizes the needs of the self. During this eclipse, issues about how we balance our own needs versus the needs of our relationships will come into focus. Whatever outdated relational patterns need to go will be discarded during this eclipse.
April 3: Venus conjunct Neptune in Pisces
This is one of the most magical days of the year, opening a portal to sublime states of beauty and love. Our artistic imagination is boundless at this time, allowing us to bring through exquisite gems of creative inspiration. We can experience a heightened sense of spiritual connection, our hearts deepening in devotional love for the divine. Yet we need to be mindful of the risk for romanticizing situations, so it’s helpful to keep a discerning eye open to distinguish genuine epiphanies from merely wishful thinking.